


Thank you

by Soulsisterblondzilla



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-15
Updated: 2015-08-15
Packaged: 2018-04-14 22:20:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4582260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soulsisterblondzilla/pseuds/Soulsisterblondzilla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marian cheers Anders up after a rough couple of weeks. Mainly fluff, a tiny bit of angst in there at the beginning. Post act 1-ish.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thank you

_Do not lose faith._  
Anders didn’t answer the spirit’s thoughts as they rumbled through his mind, frowning irritably as he scratched harder at the parchment of his manifesto, the sound impossibly loud in the silent clinic. It was late but he couldn’t sleep again, sitting up to work in his cot instead. His sight blurred at the very thought, body crying out for rest – but how could he possibly sleep? He’d been struggling for years against a towering wall of stone in the shape of the Chantry, and he had nothing to show for it.  
_We have made advancements. We have saved lives._  
Anders gave up, leaning back in his cot and closing his eyes as he massaged his temples. Another group had gone missing on the western route out of the Gallows last week. They’d had to board it off – even less chance of escape for the mages of Kirkwall. It was steadily occurring to Anders that it would just keep happening, that it wouldn’t go on forever - they weren’t doing enough.  
Justice was quiet as he considered his train of thought. When he spoke, he spoke carefully. _It is distressing, but worrying over it will not change it. You are making yourself unwell._  
Anders sighed. _I can’t stop worrying over it. I’m only human._  
He braced himself as Justice geared up for an argument, but they both looked up as they heard the door to the clinic shift open. Justice pulsed briefly and the walls around his cot flickered with blue. Anders waited for a call, half-tempted to simply ignore it if it wasn’t an emergency, but when he heard nothing but careful steps approaching his stomach twisted nervously. Probably nothing, but…  
He stood as silently as he could, taking hold of his staff and slowly edging around the partition. It took him a few moments to recognise the figure leaning over his desk, eyes adjusting too slowly to the dark.  
“Marian?”  
She leapt back with a startled yelp and he chuckled, letting his staff glow a little so that he could see her clearly. She stared at him with wide, blue eyes, looking more than a little guilty.  
“I, uh- I didn’t think you’d be…” She trailed off, shrugging viciously before leaning one hand heavily on the desk. “Should’ve known I’d be caught. Never get any luck.” She grumbled to herself, looking to the side as she blew a dark strand of hair from her face.  
He raised an eyebrow, the corner of his lip quirking ever so slightly. How she always managed to make a scowl that vicious so beautiful, he’d never know.  
Justice grumbled a wordless warning in the back of his mind and he struggled not to roll his eyes. _I know. I’m only looking._  
“And what exactly am I catching you in?”  
His soft smile faltered as he followed Marian’s arm down, a thick stack of letters under the palm of her hand. She immediately flushed, looking for all the world like she was about to take the letters and run – but she eventually pushed them towards him, speaking hesitantly.  
“You’ve been down recently, so I thought…” She shook her head, looking frustrated, “I don’t know, just read them.”  
He picked the letters up, frowning as Justice mused thoughtfully in the back of his mind. The first letter was barely legible, apparently scrawled in a rush, only a few words;  
_‘Thank you. Thank you so much.’_  
He frowned up at Marian. She simply gestured to him to read another. The next one was sealed with red wax and he peeled it away with difficulty;  
_‘I hope this finds you. I just needed to thank you. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d get out of the Gallows, much less live to tell the tale. More than that, for the first time since I can remember, I feel safe. If it weren’t for you, I’d never know this feeling.’_  
He looked up slowly, eyes wide. “What is this?”  
She perched on the edge of the desk with a quiet breath, hands folded in her lap, “It’s from mages you’ve helped escape over the past couple of years… I just… I don’t know, I just thought you needed a reminder.”  
Anders hefted the pile of letters in his palm, eyes wide. There… There were so _many._ Tears abruptly pricked at his eyes and he struggled to hold them back, hand balling at his mouth and words muffled against them, “Thank you.”  
She beamed at him, eyes lighting up so suddenly he found himself staring. For once, Justice didn’t chide him. She lost her smile for a moment, staring back.  
_She is…_  
She stood suddenly, an awkward noise in the back of her throat as she made to leave.  
“Don’t thank me,” She said over her shoulder, face flushing crimson again, “It was Varric’s idea.”  
_I find that difficult to believe,_ Justice voiced softly, watching her practically bolt through the door to the clinic.  
_So do I._  
I admit, she is… interesting.  
Anders found himself smiling, bringing the bundle of letters close to his chest. _She is._


End file.
